Description of a closed plastic bag system for the collection and cryopreservation of leukapheresis‐derived blood mononuclear leukocytes and CFUc from human donors

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Abstract
Hemopoietic stem cells were collected from blood by means of continuous‐ flow centrifugation. The therapeutic use of large quantities of autologous blood stem cells requires a suitable, reliable and easily practicable cryopreservation technique which prevents loss of cell number and viability. This paper describes a closed plastic bag system consisting of one part for the collection and freezing of blood‐derived mononuclear cells (MNC), among them granulocyte/macrophage progenitor cells (CFUc), and of a second part for thawing the cryopreserved cells and washing them free of DMSO before transfusion to a patient. In a series of 20 leukaphereses, the average number of collected MNC and CFUc was about 11 × 10(9) and 8 × 10(5) respectively. The recovery rate of the leukapheresis derived MNC and CFUc after cryopreservation, thawing, and washing was demonstrated to be 90 per cent of better. Sequential leukaphereses in the same donor showed little effect on red and white blood cell concentration. However, there was a significant decrease in the donor's blood platelet concentration prior to the third leukapheresis.